


ball of twine

by Spikedluv



Series: Dec 2017 Gift Fic [3]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Shelter (2007)
Genre: M/M, Minor incidence of homophobia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-05
Updated: 2017-12-05
Packaged: 2019-02-10 16:17:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,063
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12915564
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spikedluv/pseuds/Spikedluv
Summary: On the way home from their vacation, Shaun, Zach and Cody run into a guy who thinks homosexuality isn’t ‘natural’ and a stranger who steps in to help them.





	ball of twine

**Author's Note:**

  * For [angelskuuipo](https://archiveofourown.org/users/angelskuuipo/gifts).



> This story is one of my December Gift Fic and was written for Angelskuuipo for the prompt _Shelter/MCU, Zach, Shaun & Cody meet the Avengers (all or some)_. 
> 
> Posted: December 5, 2017

Shaun filled up the gas tank while Zach and Cody went inside the mini-mart to use the restroom and pick out snacks. He moved the car and met them inside, adding a bottle of water, a pack of gum, and a bag of jerky to the snacks already piled on the counter. Shaun had paid for the gas at the pump and he let Zach pay for the snacks because suggesting otherwise would only get him a look and a discussion later, when Cody was out of earshot, about Zach’s ability to help with expenses.

Cody carried the bags out to the car. Zach gave Shaun a quick kiss and followed Cody while Shaun made use of the restroom while he could. There was a long stretch of road without any towns or rest stops ahead of them. Zach and Cody were talking to someone when Shaun stepped outside the mini-mart. It only took him a second to register the stiff set of Zach’s shoulders and the restraining hand he’d placed on Cody’s arm.

Shaun meandered over as if he was oblivious to the tension. “Everything alright?” he said when he got close enough to Zach to not have to yell.

“You one of them fags?” the guy said. He spat tobacco juice out of the side of his mouth to emphasize his distaste.

“If you’re asking whether I’m gay, then yes,” Shaun said. He continued walking until he’d placed himself between Zach and Cody, and Tobacco Guy. “Is there a problem?”

“It ain’t natural,” Tobacco Guy said.

“Mother nature would disagree with you,” Shaun said, his voice somehow remaining calm despite the racing of his heart and the sweat breaking out on his palms.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Tobacco Guy demanded.

“Check out Nat Geo,” Shaun suggested.

“You mocking me?” Tobacco Guy said.

“No,” Shaun said. “Just making an observation. It was lovely meeting you, but we need to get going now.”

Shaun turned to usher Zach and Cody to the car. Cody had a mulish expression on his face and took some convincing to move. He was fourteen now, and had recently been confronted with homophobia, though they’d done their best to shield him from it as a young child.

Zach continued to look over Shaun’s shoulder; his expression went from narrow-eyed angry to wide-eyed horrified. Shaun turned to see what had scared him, and a different man stood between them and Tobacco Guy. Shaun had seen him ride into the station on his Harley Davidson. He’d glanced over at them after removing his helmet to reveal light brown hair that was mussed from the helmet and a face covered with a beard.

The man had gotten off the motorcycle and begun to pump gas. Since he didn’t appear to pose a threat, Shaun had dismissed him. Now the man stood with his back to them and he held a rock in his hand. Shaun didn’t know how fast he’d had to move to catch the rock before it hit one of them.

“Son,” Bearded Guy said to Tobacco Guy, “I don’t think you want to do that.”

“What business is it of yours?” Tobacco Guy demanded, spitting again, the juice landing just inches from the toe of Bearded Guy’s boot.

“I’m just a concerned citizen,” Bearded Guy said, ignoring the spit. He squeezed the rock and it crumbled in his hand, chunks falling to the ground. He opened his fingers to let the last of the dust and small pieces of stone fall.

Shaun figured that the rock had already been falling apart, but it was a nice show and Tobacco Guy’s eyes widened in shock.

“Why don’t you be on your way?” Bearded Guy suggested.

Shaun didn’t know what Tobacco Guy saw on Bearded Guy’s face, but he agreed and scurried over to his truck that, Shaun was not surprised to see, had a gun rack in the window and an ‘I’m a Trump Deplorable’ sticker on the sagging bumper.

Bearded Guy turned to face them and smiled. “Are you guys alright?”

“Yes,” Shaun said. “I think so. Zach, Cody?”

Zach and Cody assured Shaun they were fine.

“Thank you for your help,” Zach said.

“You’re welcome.” Bearded Guy shook his head. “I never did like a bully.”

“We should get going,” Shaun said. “Before he finds his balls again. Or brings back some friends.”

“I could’ve taken him,” Cody said.

“You absolutely could not have taken him,” Zach said. “Where is this coming from?”

Shaun shook Bearded Guy’s hand and escorted Zach and Cody to the car. Shaun didn’t say anything because he didn’t want to scare Zach or Cody, but he kept glancing in the rearview mirror in case Tobacco Guy decided to follow them.

They’d been on the road for a few minutes when Cody said, “You know who that was, don’t you? The guy on the motorcycle?”

“No idea,” Zach said.

“A good Samaritan,” Shaun said.

“Steve Rogers,” Cody said. When neither Zach nor Shaun reacted, he said, “Captain America?”

“It was not!” Zach said.

“Was, too,” Cody insisted.

“Shaun?” Zach said.

Shaun shrugged.

~*~*~*~

Two hours later they reached a small town. Shaun warily pulled into a gas station to top off the tank before parking in front of the diner they’d passed to get some lunch. Zach and Cody stayed in the car while he pumped, which was a weight off Shaun’s mind.

At the diner, they sat in an empty booth by the front window that offered a view of the dirt parking lot. The waitress, a pen stuck behind her ear and snapping gum, dropped off menus. They ordered sodas for Shaun and Zach and a peanut butter cup milkshake for Cody.

Shaun glanced at the menu, but went with the chicken salad sandwich and homemade chips offered on the lunch specials board. Zach got the turkey club with a side salad, and Cody a cheeseburger and fries. They discussed the next stop on their route home and played tic-tac-toe on the back of one of the paper placemats.

Zach and Cody were headed towards another tie when Cody glanced out the window and said, “Hey, look!”

Zach turned his head and Shaun leaned forward to look around him. A man on a motorcycle had pulled in and parked near the building. It could’ve been the same man from their last stop for gas, but the man’s outfit of black leather jacket, blue jeans, and dusty boots was generic enough for Shaun to not be sure.

The man pulled off the helmet and brushed a hand through his hair. He turned his head to look at the diner as if sensing eyes on him and Shaun recognized Bearded Guy.

“If he comes in here,” Zach warned Cody, “don’t say anything about your suspicion. You read the news reports last year; if it _is_ him he probably doesn’t want to be recognized.”

Cody, eyes wide, nodded his agreement.

They watched as surreptitiously as two grown men and one fourteen year old could, as Bearded Guy walked towards the diner, Cody turning in his seat to follow his progress. Bearded Man glanced around the inside of the diner as if looking for someone. His gaze moved over their table and came back again when he’d checked out the rest of the filled tables.

Shaun raised his hand in greeting and Bearded Guy headed towards their table. Shaun slipped out of the booth and extended his hand. “Thank you, again,” he said when Bearded Guy took his hand. “For what you did back there. I’m Shaun, by the way. This is my husband Zach and our son Cody.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Bearded Guy said. “I’m James.”

“James,” Shaun said. So not Steve Rogers, then. “I don’t know if you’re meeting anyone, or if you’d prefer to eat alone, but you’re welcome to join us, if you’d like.”

James hesitated, then said, “I’d like that, thank you.”

Out of the corner of his eye Shaun saw Cody jerk and nearly knock over his milkshake when he realized he’d be sharing his side of the booth with James. He slid over to the wall and James gingerly lowered himself onto the bench seat. The waitress rushed over to set a menu in front of James. Shaun noticed that her cheeks had gone a little pink. James looked uncomfortable with the attention, but he thanked her politely for the menu.

James ordered a double bacon cheeseburger with fries without opening the menu, and, after asking Cody how it was, a peanut butter cup milkshake. After the waitress left, they made small talk about the weather and where they were heading – James was just riding around the country and Shaun, Zach and Cody were headed back to California after a vacation – until the waitress dropped off three plates and James’ milkshake.

“Yours’ll be right out,” she promised James, who thanked her.

“Don’t wait on me,” James said.

Shaun laughed at Cody, who’d already shoved a fry in his mouth, but now looked like he wasn’t sure he should have. James set Cody at ease by stealing a fry off his plate, and then took a sip of the milkshake.

“That is good,” James said.

“I know, right?” Cody said. “Zach and Shaun won’t drink it.”

“Because I’m allergic to peanuts!” Shaun said.

“What’s Zach’s excuse?” Cody said.

“I like to kiss the man who’s allergic to peanuts,” Zach said.

Cody scrunched up his face. “Euww.”

The milkshake was half gone by the time James’ food was delivered. James dug into the burger and cleaned his plate before even Cody, their little Hoover, did. Cody gave James an impressed look.

“Finish up so we can get back on the road,” Zach urged Cody.

Cody, who’d been eager to get back home and tell Jane all about their vacation, suddenly looked torn about leaving, but he finished the burger and most of the fries. Zach stole a few, so only the saddest and limpest of the lot were left on the plate.

Zach and Cody went to the bathroom, and Shaun and James fought over the bill when it came. If James moving like a snake to pick it up and Shaun saying, “I was going to get that!” could be considered ‘fighting’.

“As a thank you for what you did,” Shaun continued.

“Consider this my apology that you have to deal with that sort of thing,” James said.

Shaun didn’t argue, but he did say, “I appreciate that, but it’s not your fault.”

“If more people stood up for what they thought was right,” James began, then just shook his head.

They shook hands again and Shaun went to the restroom while Zach and Cody stepped outside the diner with James.

Shaun met Zach and Cody in the car. “So,” he said as he started the car. “James, not Steve Rogers.”

Cody rolled his eyes and gave Shaun a disappointed, “Dad.”

“What?”

“Steve Rogers’ best friend Bucky Barnes? James Buchanan Barnes,” Cody spelled out when Shaun still didn’t get it.

“That seems like a stretch,” Shaun said.

Cody shook his head.

Shaun backed out of the parking spot and headed towards the exit.

“Oh my god!” Cody said as they passed a group of people.

Shaun immediately recognized James. These must be the friends he was waiting for – a woman with hair buzzed on the sides and the tips bleached blonde, and a man with muscular arms shown off by a sleeveless t-shirt.

“Oh my god,” Cody said again. “Do you see who it is?”

Shaun wasn’t sure, but he’d seen photos of the Avengers, and aside from new hair styles they hadn’t done much to change their appearance. But if it really was them . . .

“Sit,” Zach said when he turned his head and saw Cody on his knees looking out the back window.

Cody sat, but his eyes were wide and his cheeks flushed. 

“You know you still can’t tell anyone,” Shaun said.

“I know,” Cody groaned. “I can’t believe I saw Captain America, Black Widow, and Hawkeye, and when we do that stupid ‘what I did on my summer vacation’ thing, I’m going to have to talk about a ball of twine.”

“The largest ball of twine in the world,” Zach corrected.

Cody groaned again, and Shaun and Zach shared a smile.

The End


End file.
